Friday, 16 October 2015

Praia da Luz

As we said in our post “Sardine-munching” we visited Praia da Luz at the beginning of this month.

We
set out to visit the village, do some walking around, have lunch and eventually revisit
anything else there before heading for Sagres.

In
Sagres we intended to visit the town square where are the esplanades where the attempted abduction of the “Sagresman sighting”
took place.

After that we would just become real tourists and enjoy the scenery and visit the fortress, enjoying the rest of the day together.

2. Praia da Luz

Two of the Textusa sisters had already been in or near Praia da Luz.

One had been there in the 70s and the other 10 years later, in the 80s. Neither remembered much of it, just the beach.

But
thanks to Google Maps and its Street View, the town held very few
secrets to any of the 3. After all these years “visiting” it all seemed very, very
familiar.

There were a few things of Praia da Luz that because they were not possible to see on Street View we wanted to see them for ourselves:

A -
The passageway between Rua 25 de Abril and Rua da Calheta, which is
known as the stairs up which the Smiths came to before they crossed with
Smithman;

B - The commercial area South of the church, where the restaurant Chaplin’s is located;

C -
The most southern tip of the town where rock meets the sea, separating
the Western beach and the big one everyone knows to the East, and where
on the South face, facing the sea, of the esplanade is the sewer some
have ventured as a possible destination for Smithman that night;

D - The Rua dos Pescadores which is a pedestrian paved beachfront walkway;

E - The cul-de-sac of Rua da Boa Pesca which the McCann family supposedly used on their way to the beach.

The rest of the town that we were interested in was, as said, very familiar.

Even
the driveway in front of Murat’s Vivenda Liliana (now on sale) looked
familiar.

And we even saw a “Laundryman’s van” there!

To those
unfamiliar with this, a “Laundryman’s van” is any white unmarked van that just happens to be
parked in one of the existing parking spaces in that particular driveway.

White, unmarked and parked in one of the EXISTING parking spaces, the characteristics to make it suspicious. Highly suspicious. That, according to a guest, Stephen Carpenter, is unquestionable and obvious.

In fact, we, on
seeing that white unmarked van parked there, thought immediately of calling the authorities to warn them of a soon forthcoming abduction of a little blonde British girl from apartment 5A, down the street.

Having now passed days without that happening, we're certain it didn’t take place because the apartment 5A's infamous “jemmied shuttered” window has now metal bars!

Abductors
of little blonde British girls who flock to Luz to abduct please be warned that
your place of pilgrimage, your holy
place, is now blocked by metal bars.

But we know you won’t let a minor
obstacle as bars blocking a window limit you. Your colleague who abducted Maddie didn’t obey any laws of physics, so we’re certain all of you (and by golly you’re many) will be able to pass through those
bars like a hot knife through butter just like the jemmied/unjemmied window was negotiated by that Peter Pan-like colleague of yours.

Unfortunately, what
we weren’t able to see, and we did look for it, was Carpenter’s
“Laundryman’s garage”. Pity because we were really looking forward to buying some
second-hand toys there.

Maybe next time, if someone in Luz is kind
enough to tell us where it is, we will go there as we don’t want to pass on such a bargain again.

3. Our path

We
entered the town from the East, driving past the Water treatment
station with the background of the hill with its topographical landmark
that many myth makers have made many believe it was a Mason one.

We entered the village and turned right and then left on Rua do Ramalhete, passing by the Mirage Bar (A).

Continuing
on that street, passing on our left the T-crossing where TS supposedly
came from her home and have the first encounter with Pimpleman (B)
and the rubbish bins where Pimpleman supposedly was standing when JW
alleges to have seen him (C).

We then turned left on Rua
Agostinho da Silva where we passed next to Murat’s villa where we saw the
white van (D) parked on the driveway in front of it and turned left on
Rua Dr Francisco Gentil Martins.

On this street we passed by the
passageway where TS alleges to have seen Pimpleman (E) for the first
time, the sidewalk where Derek Flack, TS and JW all allege having seen
him (F) and the Baptista supermarket which TS says she went inside
with her dogs (G) before allegedly seeing for the second time the shady
character on the sidewalk we just passed.

We turned left and went
up Rua Direita and passed the entrance of Rua da Boa Pesca (H) where
the cul-de-sac Gerry McCann says the family used to get to the beach meets this street,
the Ocean Club’s main reception (I) and the crossing with the Rua da Boa
Praia (J) which was supposedly used by the McCanns to come from the
family’s beach trip and where TS went to the Alisuper supermarket.

We
then turned left, returning to Rua do Ramalhete and this time instead
of going left on Rua Dr Agostinho da Silva we continued straight ahead
passing on our right the house, aptly called “Casa da Aventura”
(Adventure House), where we believe the journalist Cecilia Pires was
introduced to Jenny Murat (K), and on the left the building where Berry and
Balu found a man to be suspicious just because he supposedly owned
recently some property there (L).

At the end of the street, turned left on
Rua Primeiro de Maio and left again on Rua Dr. Agostinho da Silva so we
could pass in front of the infamous 5A window (M).

Back around Rua
do Ramalhete, then Rua Primeiro de Maio and turned right to enter Rua da
Escola Primária where we parked the car and continued our visit
walking.

We walked down Rua da Escola Primária, where we stood on
each of the 3 spots the Smiths say they saw Smithman (and we believe fully in the Smiths), the last one, where AS crossed with him being on the other side of Rua 25 de Abril at the beginning of the passageway, commonly known as “the stairs” that links this street to the esplanades on Rua da
Calheta, where Dolphins restaurant and Kelly’s bar are.

We went in that passageway and out on the esplanade area, turned left on Rua da Calheta and walked up to its end where we turned down the road towards the church, passed it and Chaplin’s then turned right at the esplanade after the
restaurant “Fortaleza da Luz”.

There we used the small stairs at
the West side to go to the rocks near the sea. We circled the walls of
the esplanade towards East, passing the sewer, and went on to the Rua
dos Pescadores up to the exit that Rua do Poço has to the beach, and
through which the McCann family should have passed on their family trip
there.

We turned left on that passage of Rua do Poço and entered Rua da Boa Pesca, what we have called up to now a cul-de-sac.

We
went up Rua da Boa Pesca to Rua Direita where we turned left and then
right past the SPAR supermarket and from there on Rua Ema Vieira
Alvernaz back to our parked car on Rua da Escola Primária.

4. The Nanny building

It wasn’t planned to be seen but it was very useful to see the building we
now call the Nanny building, or as Catriona Baker says in her April 14
2008 statement: “I was lodged in the blue and white building, less than
10 minutes walking from the Mark Warner Village and the working place”

Reading
the various statements of the various Mark Warner staff, we get to know
they were lodged in various apartments.

The only “blue
and white” building within the referred walking distance and with
multiple apartments is one called “Edifício Pedras Brancas”, located
at the T-crossing between Rua da Escola Primária and Rua Ema Vieira
Alvernaz, North of where the 3 Smith sightings took place.

“Edifício Pedras Brancas” or the Nanny building has 58 apartments.

We
confirmed how evident were the 2 “exits” Smithman could have used in that building to avoid contact with
the Smith family well before making any contact but strangely
decided not to.

The first two only happened once (one, the beach trip we think it’s made up, never happened) and we attribute that singularity to how unpractical the distances involved would have been.

In
the first case, the trip to the Millenium, the distance being “enormous” was
explicitly recognised by the group, and that was even the fact that led to
them being awarded an ad eternum reservations at Tapas for the rest of
their stay to the detriment of all other guests who continued to have to get up and get in line, such was the sacrifice such
a walk would represent.

In the second, the alleged trip to the beach,
there was no written complaints about the distance but we constructed
mentally the idea that trips from the apartment to the beach would be so
cumbersome justifying why there had been only that single trip during
that entire week.

Summing up, they only went once to the
Millenium because it was too far and they only went to the beach once
because we thought it would be too far for that family of 5 to do it as a
routine.

About the third, the Smith sighting we have a 45 minute
gap we have to justify in our heads – from 21:15 when Jez interrupts Gerry, to 22:00
when Gerry is seen by the Smiths. And we justify it unconsciously by
thinking the 2 locations are really far apart.

These 3 facts make us “draw” an image in our mind that Praia da Luz is spread wide over a very significant area.

6. Praia da Luz: a compact village

Only Praia de Luz is not big at all.

That was the first conclusion we came to immediately there is that Praia da Luz is quite small, quite compact.

Much smaller than we thought it would be even after having “walked” it on Street View.

To give an idea, from apartment 5A to the Smith sighting area is a 3 to 4 minute walk. 5 minutes at the most.

Yes,
one MUST really ask what Smithman did do for 40 minutes in Luz.

Because from 5A to the end of Rua da Escola Primária is a 5 minute walk tops.

Even if he went around Rua do Ramalhete, it would take at the most 10 minutes to get there. That leaves 35 minutes left to explain what did a man with a body of a dead girl in his arms do.

Those saying that it was Gerry walking around with a
dead Maddie have to explain what he did in those 35/40 minutes. Having
been in Luz, we haven’t the faintest idea. We truly don’t.

We in the blog have
said that we think Smithman was Gerry McCann and that he first went with Maddie’s body from apartment 5A (Tanner’s sighting) to Murat’s property, left the body there,
came back to the apartment and only then left with the decoy child (Tanner’s daughter) the one he had in
his arms when he was seen by the Irish family.

That accounts for the 45
minutes as we don’t know what time he took to leave Maddie’s body nor at what time he left the apartment for the
second time to go on his decoy run. But we would guess he left very close to 22:00.

We did all of the driving and walking, and we did stop many times to talk and debate ideas and come up with conclusions, all well under 45 minutes.

Those 45 minutes were more than enough to understand the whole of the town because it really has little to see.

The
fact that it is indeed small together with the fact that it is not
quaint, historical or typical will be important when we talk about what
kind of tourism one expects to find there. We will come back
to that later in the post.

As an example, the nanny Susan Owen,
says this to describe how she went from the Nanny building apartment (B) – which was in Rua da
Escola Primária – to the Mirage bar (M) – which is next to the Millenium: “the deponent refers that she walked the indicated
path, having done it by the beach and later taken the route on the road
that ends in the referred bar, thus not having crossed the interior of
the mentioned resort nor near Madeleine McCann’s residence.”

One of the
shortest route to go from the Nanny building (B) (just up the street from
where the Smith sighting happened) to the Mirage bar (M) would have been to go
up Rua da Escola Primária, Rua Dr Agostinho da Silva (apartment 5A (A)) and
Rua do Ramalhete (yellow route).

Note this distance would be exactly the adding up of the distances between
the Smith sighting to apartment 5A (A) and from apartment 5A
to the Millenium/Mirage (M).

Knowing what she had to walk, Susan Owens decides to walk the long way around, by the beachfront (blue arrow).

If the distance between 5A and Millenium was as significant as it was said to be by the T9, would the long way around ever crossed Susan's mind?

This shows clearly that
distances in Luz aren’t anywhere near what they were made to be.

Having taken a first-hand look at the real distances
and realising the true size of Praia da Luz one immediately realises how aware the media was that it was a hoax and how
they actively set out to fool all us from the first minute.

We say this because of what they showed of Praia da Luz.

Luz’s small size presented a problem which they had to circumvent. They quickly found out
that they had to sell a gecko for a crocodile. And they knew full well they were selling one for the other and did a pretty good job.

They had to make an effort not to show how all close things were. They had to be
very careful where they pointed the cameras. Any minimal move could point the cameras into something that
shouldn’t appear on screen. Each shot had to be thought out, all had to be done with care.

They had to convey the idea
that Praia da Luz was a destination that upper and middle-upper class tourists would seek. That it was
understandable and even natural for that group of British doctors to have chosen Praia da Luz
for a week of holidays in the low season.

That Praia da Luz
was quaint, picturesque and typical little fishing village that would attract
the upper and middle-upper class kind of tourist.

Only Praia da Luz is not anything of the sort. The village has nothing to show as such. Only points of interest are its beach with the walkway and its church.

That’s
why of Praia da Luz the media have basically only shown us 2 things: apartment 5A and the
church. The rest of Luz it’s as if it doesn’t exist.

The reason being is
that besides the church and the beach it has nothing else to show.

The direct
consequence of this conclusion was that it helped us realise what was
the true reason for the McCann press conferences when they were staying there.

These press conferences weren’t to allow the McCanns & Co any freedom of movement. They never had it curtailed

With
the level of cooperation they couple had from the media it simply never
crossed any journalist’s (?) mind to point their camera at the McCanns
in their “private” time.

The press would never publish anything embarrassing to the McCanns. Much less condemning.

For example, the Scenic would never have been filmed or photographed with the boot open even if the stink coming out of it reached Lagos.

The
McCanns were free to do whatever they wanted to do because the
collaborating press were not there to cover the story but to sell the
hoax.

To collaborate with whoever was pulling the strings.

This is why the collaborating journalists (?) consistently pointed to the floor each time they filmed the Tapas
esplanade and so they wouldn’t show the space where the Big Round Table (BRT) was supposed to be and wasn’t anywhere to be seen. The esplanade, like Praia de Luz is just too small and any raising of the lens would show the BRT was not there, it never existed.

So, there can only be one reason for these press conferences: to give the journalists (?) the excuse to have the cameras pointed only on
the McCanns.

Exclusively on them. When the couple was being filmed there was no need to film anything else.

They
put the couple under the spotlight so that the rest of the stage
remained unseen and the spectator wouldn’t realise what little it had to
offer and how small it all really was.

By pointing to them only we got to know Praia da Luz as much as we do Rothley. Only in Rothley no one has claimed an abductor has taken a little girl out of her bedroom and disappeared on its streets.

By concentrating the image on the couple, the world wouldn’t see how Praia da Luz really has nothing to offer nor how desolate it
really was. If it did, questions as to what was that group of British doctors doing there could be raised. And we’re not even speaking about the other 300+ guests
listed on the booking sheets.

An effort had to be made to avoid lenses capturing truth by mistake.

For example, it’s extremely
difficult to film the Smith sighting in a way to make it appear as a surprise encounter.

And why it wasn’t even attempted to be reconstructed on UK Crimewatch of October 2013 even though SY considered Smithman the centre of their focus. All we had was a reporter already at the end of Rua da Escola Primária pointing his fingers down Rua 25 de Abril towards the direction of the church (and which had nothing to do with where in fact Smithman headed which was towards the passageway to Rua da Calheta).

Because it’s impossible to film a reconstruction of the Smith sighting without showing how impossible the surprise is.

When one is walking down
Rua da Escola Primária and one is thinking about the Smith sighting one can only think: are you kidding me?

To state that a man
panics for over a minute and unnaturally heads towards the threat having many, many possibilities to flee has the same
logic of saying someone keeps a hand on a burning stove for the same amount
of time without pulling it away.

We will do a separate post about the Smith sighting v our visit to Praia da Luz.

It really was hard not to show
how ridiculous the entire script was.

The only solution was to keep the cameras pointed to the couple at pre-set intervals and if one had to film anything else, just keep the focus on the apartment or the church. It was the world’s case with the most visibility and yet very little or nothing of Praia da Luz was ever shown by the media.

Before being there we thought Luz was much bigger than it really was because the media simply hid the real village.

About distance A - D, from apartment 5A to the Smith sighting it’s just a 3 to 5 minute walk.

About distance A - C, we all have
been in “beachfront resorts” where the distance to walk to the sand was
greater than the one in question between 5A and the beach.

About distance A - B, to the Millenium, although not practical is not a tragedy and baby buggies being available, it would have been a leisurely walk
for people who enjoy jogging.

7. Praia da Luz: very specific kind if tourism

Being
there, seeing it all with our own eyes made us reach the conclusion
that the people we know were, or we were told that were, in Praia da Luz that week
would never choose Praia da Luz to spend a week there.

We all go on holidays according to the economical possibilities each
one has. That’s the harsh reality although not so harsh for some.

One goes where one can afford to go and not where one really wants to go. If one could, there wouldn’t be anything of interest in the world one wouldn’t visit.

So if one goes to where one really wants to go it means one can afford to do that.

The key in the choice is the capability of being able to have one.

The vast majority of people have no choice but to go only where they can afford. At the bottom of that scale are those who
unfortunately cannot even afford to go anywhere.

But the upper class can afford to go anywhere they want.
Regardless of price. They choose where they want to spend their
vacations and go there.

The middle-upper class can afford many places that the rest of us can’t.

Please don’t confuse being able to afford luxury to enjoying luxury.

These
people may want to enjoy what we call basic holidays, which may offer
little or no luxury. But they go only to these destinations because they
choose to do so.

They can choose to spend a week or two at the
Ritz, Savoy or Carlton in Switzerland or Dubai, or they can choose to
spend it in some remote Greek island where the only transportation
available is by donkey.

It’s their choice and they are able to make it. Or better said, afford to make it.

However, in all their choices, luxury or non-luxury, have one thing in common: the offer is genuine.

Those
seeking luxury will seek where luxury is offered. Those wanting the
basics will head for where history, rural environment, scenery or isolation is to
be enjoyed.

One only declines luxury, having the possibility to afford it, for an objective reason.

And that reason is evident, is easy to see and understand.

That reason doesn’t exist in Luz.

Praia da Luz is not a tourism village.

It’s
true it swells up with a significant number of tourists every year
during summer who are there to enjoy the beach but what keeps it alive in the
other 8 months of the year is that it is nothing but an ex-pat suburb. A
Little Britain.

It’s a resident town not a tourism one. Yes, in
summer probably one will find that for every resident there are 5 or 6 tourists or even
a bigger ratio than that but that doesn’t make it exactly a tourism destination.

As can be seen, Praia da Luz is neither quaint, typical nor historic.

It’s fishing part is very unattractive. It’s poor, it’s ugly and it’s off the village centre, out of the tourists eyes.

It’s
not to see fishing boats heading for the sea that people go there.

There isn’t, as far as we know a “lota”. A lota is where fishermen sell the fish off the boats.

What little fishing material we saw we would say this activity has long since died in the village.
Its fishermen probably now only work in Lagos or in Portimão and not in Luz.

Praia da Luz is just a Little Britain neighbourhood with a beach, plus Portuguese residents who can’t afford a house in Lagos.

It
really stands out how uncharacteristic it is.

Just apartment buildings with an architecture from the late 80s to up the early 2000, uncharacteristic and without
any interest and we’re being kind.

We only have to look at the
building where apartment 5A is. It’s not ugly but it's not quaint, nor typical, it’s just an
apartment building.

One might argue that the Algarve is filled with such buildings and we agree but where they are there are areas where near them has esplanades and town squares where people can gather and enjoy the warm night breeze, walking or sitting down with friends to have a drink.

In Praia da Luz there’s only being in an apartment/villa and being at the beach. Nothing else.

Holidays in Praia da Luz are for those who want beach and beach only and can’t afford to go “expensive” ones at that.

A holiday in Praia da Luz is to get up and go to the beach, come back at lunch for a
quick bite and go back to the beach.

At sunset, leave the beach and go to the apartment shower, have dinner, watch a little TV and go to bed.

Next day, get up and go to the beach.

And repeat this routine with a lot of other people who are also there. People who could not afford better. For obvious reasons, families.

Those who can afford luxury and decline having it for some reason in no way go holidaying in Praia da Luz.

People with money who want beach holidays find it somewhere else. They can afford it.

People with money do not pay to go to crowded beaches.

People
with money only seek the crowd of peers, people equally with money, but then
it’s not about going to the beach but about being seen going to the
beaches that matter.

Praia da Luz, however beautiful its beach may be,
is not one that matters.

People with money who opt for beach holidays go to resorts where the beach is part of them.

People with money prefer the luxury around a luxurious pool that luxury hotels offer with their luxurious restaurants and bars.

As
we said, people with little or no economic constraints go to
places with little or no comfort. In such instance they are driven by wanting to find the basics.

Nature loving locations or isolated unsophisticated ones. But there the
absence of luxury is the reason to go to these places in the first place.

But
Praia da Luz is neither rich nor basic. It stands in that
uncharacteristic and unsavoury middle ground where the populace flocks to.

As we said, Praia
da Luz is for people with enough income to enjoy holidays but unable,
for economic reasons, to go to where they really wish they could go.

To
say a person with money goes specifically to Praia da Luz for holidays
is to say someone who has enough money to stay in Manhattan would choose to spend their money to stay in Brooklyn or Queens.

As we said, the
village is not quaint nor picturesque. Its walls cry for whitewashing. The village shows a lack of maintenance we didn’t expect to see.

The town does
nothing to make itself attractive.

What we saw was quite
depressing. We expected the centre of the village, which would be
the church area, to be well maintained and at least there tourists
feel welcomed and cared for. It’s quite barren and unwelcoming living off the beauty of the building.

Because the church is beautiful indeed but the rest around it is like the rest of Luz, unkempt and unattractive.

Walls
we expected whitewashed weren’t and what we called the “Chaplin’s
commercial area” just South of the church is not the most appealing of
places:

And we have to mention the unpleasant olfactory
experience we had while walking along the Rua dos Pescadores (pedestrian
beachfront) in a harsh contrast with the magnificent view that was
before our eyes. We mention it because it was not a temporary problem.

Being
there, looking around, we realised very quickly for people economically
well off to be there they had to have a reason other than whatever
Praia da Luz offered.

And if it would be very unlikely to find
people with enough money during beach season it would be impossible to
find any there in the off-beach one.

However in April/May of 2007 there were apparently many, many of them there.

8. Praia da Luz: family holidays

The third conclusion we reached was that a holiday in Praia da Luz has to be a family holiday.

We
have said before that we are of the opinion that people brought their
kids on that week of May 2007 because they came to do swinging.

Friends, family and business and every day acquaintances back home would
be given the impression that the family would have gone on holiday
together.

In Praia da Luz, with kids being taken care of by
childcare, the adults could then do whatever they pleased, and in the
case it was indeed pleasure.

At home those who mattered would be kept
in ignorance, oblivious of what really was going on, of what the true
purpose the holiday was. For them, they had seen a family depart for a family holiday and no one questioned the reason.

But being in Luz made us realise that
there was also another reason to for the kids to have to be brought along and that is
because Luz offers only its beach.

Only family tourism makes sense in Praia da Luz.

Praia da Luz is as unromantic as it gets.

It’s
not the choice for a honeymoon. It’s not the choice for a romantic
getaway. Yes, one may see couples there but then one has to go back to
the economic question of one being where one can against where one would
rather be.

It’s not exactly a location that invites meditation. Not the destination those seeking isolation seek.

Luz is beach and pool. Without beach only pool. Without beach and pool, it’s, in terms of tourism, nothing.

Crowded beaches and crowded pools are destinations where people go as family.

To know the couple next door are going alone without kids to Venice, Maldives, Greece or Las Vegas, just to name a diversity of locations, one easily understands that they want to enjoy some time together in a place where that makes sense.

For them to say they are going on a romantic getaway to Praia da Luz is like visiting Buckingham palace for the food. It just doesn't make sense.

Swingers took their kids with them to Praia da Luz because not only they wanted to convey how it was
a family holiday but also because it only makes sense going as family if one decides
to go to there for holidays.

However it must be said that it seems many disagree with us.

According to the booking sheets, there were the following “loners” staying in Praia da Luz:

We know that some of the above may just be 2 friends travelling together but most certainly the majority would be couples.

It seems there was some romance really going on in
Praia da Luz that fateful week, even though the night life of Luz doesn’t appear to be that appealing:

And above are less than half of the people staying in Luz that week. That small village would be heaving with people.

But, as we said, without beach and pool Praia da Luz in terms of tourism, is nothing and we think we all agree that during that week there was neither because of the weather.

9. Praia da Luz: sea not toddler friendly

Final
conclusion in terms of a town was understanding how ridiculous it is to
say they took 3 and 4 yr olds out on a catamaran on the beach of Praia da
Luz.

For a jogging enthusiast, running on the beach is
ridiculous because the length by the water doesn’t even serve as a
warm-up, in terms of watersports for toddlers the beach is far too wide.

No
monitor risks doing any watersport for 3 or 4 yr olds further than waist
deep on a beach. The risk involved means that even then only on small beaches where
waves almost don’t exist and there aren’t surprising currents.

To
put kids that age on a floating platform, one has to take be able to react in a situation when all the little passengers fall off at the same time, such as in capsizing.

If that happens, all toddlers MUST be
reached immediately and brought safely to land. All without exception.

One does
not tell a little boy of 3 please hold on to this while I take your
friend to safety and then I’ll come back for you. One does not abandon a toddler in the water. One has to bring them all together safely to land.

The idea is to have a ratio of monitor to child that will allow in such a situation that every child clings to an adult and all are brought safely and calmly to the sand, in a manner that the children think it’s just a game.

That can only be achieved if all monitors have a solid foothold and every toddler is reachable immediately. To do any such activity where the water is above waist deep is folly. It’s irresponsible and probably illegal.

On a beach with the waves
that Praia da Luz beach has, we are not seeing it possible any sort of “on-water” activity
for toddlers that age. Not even knee-deep. The waves are too wide, big and strong.

There are loads of activities
one can do on the beach with them without putting in any way their
safety at risk.

Any water activity with toddlers that age is done safely in the sand during in low tide and away from the waves.

10. Conclusion

As we said at the
start of the post, we intended to have lunch in Praia da Luz. We really
thought we would find a town focused on tourism.

Instead we found a town. One that didn’t offer us anything significant to hold us there after our stroll.

It’s a fact we thought we would spend more time walking around than we did. That the distances would be further. That there would be places we would like to revisit before leaving.

Instead we
basically found ourselves standing by our car, looking at each other
and agreeing that although none of us fell into the category of
“economically unconstrained” we would never choose Praia da Luz for a
holiday.

Nothing against the town itself but, and that is what we really want to point out, nothing in its favour.

Nothing appealing, nothing calling us to come back there and that made us have something against us ever being tourists there.

And
it’s not about the “McCann circus” having degraded the town. The
buildings and layout are the same as they were in 2007 and the area around the church can be
seen has been renovated since.

The fact of the matter is that it’s a small town that relies solely on the beach and seems not to give much care in pleasing those who do come to it in the summer.

The idea we got is that local residents are either Portuguese who can’t afford a house in Lagos or ex-pats.

To live, as the climate is Algarvian and Lagos is near, it’s a good choice to make if one is looking to feel in Britain outside Britain.

But
the thing about tourism is that is a very expensive and a very, very short-term habitation contract and as we’ve said above, it’s all about
opting and being able to opt.

And we can think of better places to spend our holidays besides in a dreary Little Britain suburb.

Don’t know which of the sisters suggested “how about lunching in Sagres instead?”

And even though it was rhetorical, the other 2 sisters immediately answered, “yes, please, that is a good idea, let’s go!”

43 comments:

Interesting. I certainly got the impression it was a bigger place, with longer distances involved in walking from one part to another. Also, that it was picturesque and touristy -maybe because of the images of the church... Obviously it was not either, as you describe so well. One certainly needs to question why all those guests descended on the place out of season.... and guests that were clearly not too economically restrained... Well, there must have been a good reason!

I also spent an afternoon in PDL and it was as you have described very cramped and uninviting. I was able to explore almost most it had to offer in a very short visit. I remember it had Roman ruins which I don't think they promoted as a tourist site, but apart from this it was a place void of any entertainment or adventure. Beats me why they chose this place as a place to take children or themselves in April when the weather is uncertain. And for a week? got to me kidding, a week in Benidorm would have made more sense.

Fascinating post Bronte. Many, many years ago, I had the pleasure of visiting Portugal with my partner in early season, late April to be exact, I seem to recall it must have been 2005/6. We went to Praia Da Rocha,Not knowing about any of the resorts on the Algarve and this being our first visit. It was a cheap holiday, out of season and it met our needs at the time. It was one where you were told which resort and you were then assigned your accommodation on arrival. We ended up in a Villa Apartment Complex. It was fantastic, it really was. The Villa we had was beautiful. However there were only a couple more holidaymakers on-site and the on-site facilities were empty of people , the hotel bar was closed and despite the sun shining and the blue sky it was far too chilly to go in the pool. Sound familiar?For the very reasons you state in your blog, we found ourselves paying a daily taxi fare to Alvor, which was much more suitable for our needs having plenty of eating establishments and little bars to spend time, have lunch and sip an ice cold beer or two or three. I remember the magnificence of the beach in Praia Da Rocha, however, the beach bars and beach restaurants were not yet up and running and apart from a nice walk along the beach, there was not much else to attract us to walk down innumerable steps to gain beach access. The town itself is much larger than Luz, from your description. I remember the Square being busy , a few eating stalls, hit digs, burgers etc and the smell of sardines. I'm sure I'm not the only one who will be shocked at your description of Luz being so small and compact.Everything screams "Hoax, Hoax, Hoax!" Now we have something else to ponder, the wholesale, widespread media collusion and "Collaborating Journalists" All in on the Act. All part of this sick sham! Why else would such people gravitate to a resort with little to attract it apart from a beach? Why did so many descend? "In Praia Da Luz, there's only being in an apartment/villa and being at the beach. Nothing else"It felt a little like that for us in Praia Da Rocha too. Which is why we made the daily trip to Alvor. One thing I feel is that Insane and others will come and criticise and say "Well, that's just YOUR perception, it's not fact but an opinion!" but you've overridden that because this was the opinion of three! Three Textusa sisters. Out to view at first hand, plan in place and as you say stopping to debate and assimilate all the while. Whilst some still don't or won't allow themselves to embrace the 'Swinging' theory, here we have yet further proof that 'something' must have been happening at that fateful time in 2007. Something so attractive that it entailed hundreds of people descending on a resort that has little to offer except a beach and at the time of year, even that was an unattractive proposition. So, Swinging under the guise of a family holiday is perfectly feasible to me and again one that answers why so many colluded in the cover up. People who had too much to lose in their reputations and careers. Wasn't it Jane Tanner who made the comment that they were even being accused of swinging and how ridiculous was that? The only thing I feel let down in Bronte is that you never came across the little stall selling sunglasses ! How disappointing!Another thing. Every morning all was covered in a thick Atlantic sea mist. Once that dissipated the sun shone.That mist was cold and I was never able to sit on the balcony first thing and read my bookI wonder if they ever encountered that?

Buying sunglasses on a rainy day in a outdoor stall when having in front of the crèche a store that sells quality glasses is just too absurd to require any sort of verification even if said stalls exist.

Tina's comment has made me think. All those who wont allow themselves (or at least publicly) tobelieve in the swinging - and who push forward other reasons - e.g. pharmaceutical conference / doctor's meeting / business development etc etc. Well, why havent all the attendees come forward to say 'We were at a conference... a medical conference' OR 'We were looking at property development / opportunities' OR ' it was a marketing opportunity for...' ? If it was straightforward as that there would be nothing to hide in saying exactly why they were there. So the visit CANNOT have been for any purpose that could have been discussed openly. No, it HAD to have been something that they would not be comfortable to disclose...

Yes, these child went on a family holiday, out of season for the UK. But nevertheless, it seemed not such a bright, warm and cheerful with the McCann family basically only taking one day out of the creche-kids club schedule - and then they were returned early, weather not so good.But of course, we must not forget the littlies - the tennis, the yatching. Apart from not leaving my kids homealone, neither would I be happy in ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, doing ''water sports'' in the ocean, even if it was a one to one staff ratio for children of their age. But .... that's not particularly sophisticated of me, not allowing my littlies a risk or two in life.

Wall to wall restaurants? Where?There are bars which serve food, but certainly not lots of high quality restaurants.Golf, says Jilly, but T9 didn't mention golf. Wealthy guests who play golf would be in a nice hotel.What did Gordon family do, as they were there even earlier in the season?I know tennis was described by T9, Carpenter and Jensens, but how many courts are there? Not many as I recall.Not enough to cater for all those people listed in the post.Buffet breakfast at the Mill. Rich people don't do buffet. They want table service.Quiz nights for all of those people?Only 15 people could be accommodated, according to K.What if all the visitors turned up, bored after eating their meals, as nothing else to do? Nobody in T9 mentions swimming in the sea. M insisted on going in cold pool, according to K.Watersports would require wetsuits at that time of year.Seems the sea was rough even for adults as the T9 men had a sailing incident.

JillyCL forgot to mention the water park Slide & Splashhttp://textusa.blogspot.pt/2011/08/tapas-quiz-night-question-4.html

We would like to know where in Luz are wall to wall restaurants. Outside the areas we walked, we think the rest of Luz is visible on Street View, so all that is needed it o say on which streets one can find these restaurants.

Golfers wouldn't stay in Praia da Luz when they have Lagos nearby.

Quiz nights, we have heard of 2 places: Tapas (we are certain there were no Quiz Nights there) and Chaplin's. In neither place we see fitting large crowds and these Nights are scheduled for only some of the nights of the week.

Tennis. Millenium has 3, Tapas 2. There are 2 other in Rua da Escola Primária which we don't know if they're linked to a condominium or a resort (important is to realise Ocean Club was/is NOT the only tourism resort in Luz, so there were more tourist in Praia da Luz than those listed in the booking sheets).

Note seeing 5 tennis courts satisfying the demand of so many tourists, especially if they were dedicated to the sport as much as Gerry McCann was. There is proof in the PJ Files that it wasn't.

Swimming not the best time of the year to do that.

Sailing, we were there in early October, the equivalent we would say to early June. Not a single boat on the water. Did not occur to check if there were any on the sand. Even if there were, not a sport that entertains a crowd.

I too got the impression it was much larger than it is. I often wondered why, with the rolling news after the immediate event, we were not treated to panning camera shots of the panoramic vista? This is usual when events outside the UK are reported. Even after many years of conflict, when reporting from Jerusalem, which we are surely all familiar with now, the roving news hound is seen, usually on a hill with sweeping views of the city. This is usually accompanied by shots from the cameraman following a walking reporter around the streets and inhabitants. Not one such scene in the hours and hours of PDL footage. Even reporters talking to camera were done close up in narrow angle. Well done the Bronte sisters !

Great post Textusa and a very important one. I hope people understand the significance of all this, that hundreds of people chose to go on holiday in PdL out of season at the end of April/beginning of May 2007. Doctors, business people, high flyers etc etc all went to a place that has a beach as its only attraction, at a time when that beach couldn't be used because it was too cold. Hundreds of people who could afford sun and sand for a decent family holiday chose cold PdL out of season which offered nothing, literally nothing, for a family holiday. Hundreds of them.

I accept that in high season with good weather, some families who don't care about being involved in local culture, would enjoy a holiday of this sort. I would expect anyone staying for a week to visit another place for some variety.For me PDL gives very little flavour of being in Portugal. It's dreary and lacking in character. I have stayed in Carvoeiro - shops with local pottery, a market, outside cafe area bear beach overlooking the sea, lots of tourists gathering there in the evening.

Brilliant post Textusa you have wrapped up in this blog what I have thought from get go. I love a beach holiday, the sun the beach the water, beautiful wee streets, market stalls, restaurants. We go away as often as we can so we tend to try and get it as cheap as possible so we can get 2 or 3 holidays for the price of one.Even if Pdl was somewhere that I would stay in the summer come the end April it would have no appeal whatsoever for anyone interested in that type of holiday. Of course they were there for swinging and of course the ex pats were in on it. Well done with sticking to your guns I can't possibly see how after reading this anybody with any knowledge of these types of holidays could argue with you.

If the UK journalists did in fact pick and choose their photo shoots and angles then what about the foreign media?Surely they wouldn't feel constrained in any way, wouldn't feel the need not to show how small the place is? And we would have heard about it in the UK but we didn't.

The diplomatic pressure that was exerted by the British Foreign Office on Portugal and its media we are certain was done by the British diplomacy worldwide.

It became evident that the establishments worldwide collaborated with the British government on this matter. In the diplomatic world there are too many important things at stake and “offending” the British over the truth of a small crime was not worth the risk.

Once they accepted collaborating, which they did, they were caught up in the lie. From that moment on the editorial line was clear: follow the Brits on this matter.

Up until the dogs let’s sanctify the McCanns, with the dogs let’s demonise them, with them flying home let’s sanctify them again.

For some reason CNN was economical with the truth about the case by showing an esplanade that had nothing to do with Tapas and implying it was Tapas. As well as dropping the lens to the floor in the real Tapas esplanade.

We showed that very clearly in our “The Proof Ocean Club reads Textusa” post:http://textusa.blogspot.pt/2014/03/the-proof-ocean-club-reads-textusa.html

There we have the screengrabs of a CNN video that is no longer available – wonder why?

Also do please take into account that there is only so much space for worms in a can and the British Press dominated the territory in Luz.

Many countries send in their reporters but soon the source of news on this particular issue was the UK press.

But with this level of collaboration, can we honestly expect any truth to emerge? What may have changed such that the British Foreign Office stance will change? Are you able to give your opinion as to what has changed that can now override that directive in 2007? Is it governmental change? Is it enough that this simply wont go away until some truth is allowed toy emerge? What on earth is going to make David Cameron man enough to allow the truth to be exposed (even partially)?

Well I'm so very thankful that you are doing so.Even as just a member of the public observing this, it has the power to make me feel very very depressed that justice does not seem to be occurring. Without that, we dont have much at all. Do you have any thoughts about the investigation known as Operation Grange - how quiet it has become. By that, what I really mean is, do you have an opinion as to whether they are actively working on trying to bring justice, or they are simply keeping their heads down following orders on ho to play this... ? Lately I have been wishfully thinking they were spending time on the detail, forensic and otherwise, in bringing the perpetrators to justice. But it may just be wishful thinking.

About Operation Grange we agree fully with Mr Amaral: it's all about political courage and will.

Political, so way above Scotland Yard or PJ.

Operation Grange is not a police investigation. It's something called that, won't call it a farce because it isn't one, that is waiting to be told on what its findings will be.

The Maddie case holds no secrets at Decider level. Everyone knows what happened and have in their hands all the proof they need.

Question is what proof they want to use and what proof they want to discard. That is the line that has to be drawn and is extremely difficult to do so as on this side of it people will be safe and on the other people will be shamed.

The other option is to not draw any line and archive it. That will bring shame to David Cameron.

So our opinion of Operation Grange had the task to rank people by "fall". On the top of the list are the McCanns and at the bottom are the unmentionable ones.

Imagine that the list has 500 names. The next task Operation Grange then had was to match proof to people.

To make only the first 20 fall, what of the existing proof is needed to use and if it is feasible to only use that.

This was done for all possible scenarios. We believe that it was attempted both the patsy one as also one that involved only the T9. They proved not to be feasible.

At this moment we think the decision is to choose one within the feasible scenarios (those that respond to the questions we put in our "Maddie's Pandoras' Box" post)

But that is not a decision to be made by SY. They are waiting to be told which scenario is to implement and then "find" the proof that fits. This finding already been done a long time ago.

So to answer your question, is that Operation Grange is a group of people playing solitaire, sodoku or doing crosswords waiting to be told what to do.

It isn't and it never was a police investigation. It's just something a police has found itself in the obligation of doing.

I was afraid you would say that, as I wanted to remain hopeful, but I have to say that reluctantly I agree. You have clarified it and explained the situation very well. But, at some point, the waiting is over and they will be told which scenario to implement. At some point David Cameron will have to choose (if he hasn't already) and i am hoping he 'decides' sooner rather than later, although I guess he may postpone his decision to see what happens with Amaral appeal. Although cant he influence the Amaral appeal decision if there is still any 'establishment collaboration' across countries? Influence it to become what he wants it to become....?

Why can he not realise, as you once explained so well, that anything but the whole truth opens another Pandora's box of worms? If I was Samantha and said to him..' Look Dave, come on - you have got to let the truth be exposed. There is no other option ... just do it!' What would he respond? 'look Sam , it';s not as simple as that.. d'you honestly have any idea of the consequences of me allowing the truth to emerge? It would be a total nightmare... they'd bring me down and a lot of others before you know it. No, there's got to be a way of sorting this - there has to be ... just let me think of it....there's no rush! '

in today's online Daily Mail. I read it and just cant see the connection between a 16 year old flying alone and the McCann case. It is simply about a 16 yr old girl who was not aloud to fly alone to Portugal -

'According to Jet2 staff, they could not allow her to fly because Portugal had tightened its rules after criticism of its handling of the Madeleine McCann case.'

It is either there simply 'cos Madeleine 'sells papers' or is it a strategic article to imply to the general public that the Portugal authorities handled the Mc Cann case badly!

"Staff at Jet2 said Portuguese authorities now have tighter controls around "minors"".

Not true. The controls are exactly the same as they have been for years. It's called the LAW. The Portuguese LAW. It was in place sometime before Maddie McCann disappeared. Lest people forget, Portugal was not born that day. It existed before. Only 800 years before.

"They said that Eilidh (...) needed a letter of consent from her parents and details of who would be collecting her in Portugal".

The law states that a minor (in Portugal anyone under 18) travelling alone must be accompanied by a written authorisation from parents and where it has to be equally stated to whom will the child be handed over by the airline on arrival.

The airline is responsible to assign a flight attendant to the child. A flight attendant may be responsible for more than one minor but each minor has to be accompanied from the moment they are left at the airport by their guardians to the moment they are handed over to those stated in the authorisation.

Minors flying with just one parent have to be accompanied by an authorisation by the absent parent or a document proving such parent has passed away.

If this is about Maddie then literally hundreds of thousands have flown under "Maddie constraint" before and after she disappeared.

"Portugal is one of the oldest countries in Europe (much older than England in fact) - Having the same defined borders since 1139, almost 900 years ago. The name Portugal first appears in 868. Lisbon is older than Rome - Around four centuries older to be precise."

England on the other hand - a name taken from one of the Germanic tribes who settled there during the 5th and 6th centuries - only became a unified state in the 10th century.

If money outside, then all those guests were there because of interest outside Praia da Luz as the village holds little or no interest to the economically weel.off? We couldn't agree more.

It doesn't in any way alter the perception we had of Luz when we were there. We did not paint any shadowy picture of Luz,

We painted a very shadowy picture of the village to the eyes of the rich. Because for the rich, that compact village won't in our opinion even merit a glance much less a consideration from them. It's not Capri to use as an example.

Is it fine for the rest of us humans? Yes, it is if one just likes the beach or pool and many seem to be okay with that every single year.

One question regarding the wider circle of guests. Of their children, were they all of creche going age ? Were older children or teenagers on that holiday and might they twig to something going on, or would they get in the way ?

An absence of a certain age group might suggest it was inappropriate for them to be there.

Since it was started on April 29, 2015, by Leanne Baulch, the gofundme page dedicated to Gonçalo Amaral's defence has collected donations in excess of 50 thousand pounds. These funds have been transferred to the bank account that is held by Dr Paulo Sargento and other friends of Mr Amaral. Less than half of this amount has been spent on legal expenses for the defence of Gonçalo Amaral.

The Paypal account that is associated to the bank account has received over 6 thousand euro during the same period. Donations totaling a smaller amount have also been made directly to the bank account.

We believe that it is time to close the gofundme page, as the bank account currently stands at an amount that seems largely sufficient to face eventual future expenses.

As we await the verdict of the Appellate Court of Lisbon on the appeal that has been filed by Mr Amaral's lawyer, the remaining funds will be kept in the bank account. They will be used if necessary in the future. Any unused funds will, as we stated in 2009, be donated to a Portuguese children's charity.

May we use this moment to wholeheartedly thank those who have expressed their support of Gonçalo Amaral's right to an appropriate defence? Whether you have contributed financially or by sending a support message - you have made an impact. You have made a difference.

For reasons that are remaining very quiet, the friends and supporters of former “Maddie cop” Gonçalo Amaral have called time on the gofundme online appeal set up to fund his legal expenses as he challenges the court decision ordering him to pay the parents of Madeleine McCann over €500,000 in damages.

The Legal Defence for Gonçalo Amaral page will be closing on Wednesday, October 28.

At time of writing, it had already raised over €69,860 and donations were still coming in.

The latest, as of lunchtime today (Thursday), was for €100.

Over the last five months, 2,757 people have responded to the gofundme campaign, set up by a young single mother from Birmingham who was only 14 when Madeleine went missing.

Leanne Baulch, 22, explained to us back in May that she had never imagined the response her initiative received, but she felt compelled to do it as she was “desperate to help” a man she felt was being “persecuted”.

But as the money flowed in, so too did the unpleasantness, including slurs in the British press that the fund was powered by “sick online trolls”.

With Ms Baulch considering her position as a single parent of a toddler, she removed herself from the process altogether a few months ago.

The fund then transferred into the hands of the friends of the former PJ detective whose book, “A Verdade da Mentira”, landed him in the hot seat of litigation - with all his assets, including bank accounts “frozen” - in 2008.

Unpleasantness appears nonetheless to have continued, with internet manipulation of the appeal’s online code so that a few weeks ago, it virtually disappeared from sight (see http://portugalresident.com/online-intrigue-as-mccanns-close-twitter-pag...).

Now those in charge of the fund have decided it should close.

Using the headline “Sufficient” - which translated into Portuguese also stands for “Enough” - they have said: “We believe that it is time to close the gofundme page, as the bank account currently stands at an amount that seems largely sufficient to face eventual future expenses”.

A source has confirmed to the Resident that other forms of fundraising remain open, while Amaral’s fundraisers are aware that whatever the result of the latest appeal being considered by Lisbon’s Appellate Court, litigation will continue.

“If Amaral is successful, for example, we remain fairly certain that the McCann’s would appeal that decision. And so it continues. The next step would be the Supreme Court and then after that the Constitutional Court”.

And should Amaral lose the fight which he feels centres on his right to freedom of expression then a new online appeal will be needed to fund a case against Portuguese justice in the European Court of Human Rights.

Thus, for now, it is a case of “serenely awaiting” the next judicial decision, while Amaral’s supporters are no less determined to keep funding avenues open.

Sending out the latest message to subscribers, the group of friends writing collectively said: “May we use this moment to wholeheartedly thank those who have expressed their support for Gonçalo Amaral’s right to an appropriate defence. Whether you have contributed financially or by sending a support message, you have made an impact. You have made a difference”.

As we wrote this article, yet another donation was received as the six-day countdown to closure begins.

Meantime, fund organisers continue to confirm that they will donate any money left unused on legal expenses to a Portuguese children’s charity.

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As of Jan 19 2019 we're waiting for Jules to own the blog.

MESSAGE to NEWCOMERS

This blog believes that concerning the MADDIE McCANN case the following happened:

- Maddie McCanndied in the early evening of May 3rd, 2007, in the Apartment 5A. We believe the death to have been accidental.

- At the time of Maddie's death the Praia da Luz's Ocean Club was hosting a large swinging holiday (which we believe took place in various locations in and around Praia da Luz - from Lagos to Sagres) in which the McCanns and friends were part of among many others.

- After Maddie's death a cover-up of unseen proportions and scope took place not to hide Maddie's death but with the main purpose of hiding the presence of swinging. To achieve that, Maddie's death had to be hidden.

- We don't believe there was any sort of negligence involved in the Maddie affair. We don't believe that T9 dined at Tapas Bar from Sunday to Wednesday. We think that on those nights they left their children with professional nannies - as did other guests - to go dine downtown PdL. On Thursday night they did use Tapas but that was simply part of what was to be "negligence"that was required to allow Maddie to be "abducted."

PJ Files

Anonymity

A MAJOR MINORITY

TRUTH is Self-Sustained

Think for yourself

Luz - THE VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED

PdL - What a place. Why does anyone holiday there?It's populated by black heroin addicts, people who rob apartments, gypsies who steal scrap and wood, scruffy moustachioed lurers of children, bogus charity collectors, suspicious street musicians, men lurking near phone booths, glasses man lurking in stairwells, blond men suspiciously lurking outside apartments, soothing couples entering apartments without permission, mysterious gangs of cleaners, men taking photographs of children on beaches... And to top it all, you have to queue for a table booking.Anonymous 11Nov 2013 12:22:00

Maybe because you can always enjoy an ice-cream in the rain?And a dip in an icy pool on arrival always attracts a crowd.Textusa 11Nov 2013 12:28:00

I like the Tapas fragile chairs and tables. They wobble nicely when cutting thick grilled steaks spilling the drinks all about! It's fun for the whole family!Anonymous 11Nov 2013 13:08:00

And how about the number of men seen carrying little blond girls in the street in the middle of the night?Anonymous 11Nov 2013 14:04:00

PdL - where families take it in turn to vomit each night, dog packs pursue and bite joggers, guests fall off catamarans, damage tendons playing tennis, have shaving accidents and stagger around apartments bleeding, domestic appliances need repair, shutters jam, baby monitors won't function at restaurants, travel cots can't be assembled.. sounds like THE VILLAGE OF THE DAMNED.Anonymous 12 Nov 2013 12:37:00

Child Catcher

Algarve - THE REGION OF THE DAMNED

“Algarve – Where Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’s Child Catcher found it ideal to roam the streets with his GYPSY-wagon:“There are children here somewhere. I can smell them. Come along, kiddie-winkies!”Algarve, the REGION OF THE DAMNED.”

Please Reconstruct I:

PJ's Declaration for Reopening Process:

"Madeleine McCann

As is the case with any situation in which a child goes missing, notwithstanding formal dismissal of the inquiry into her disappearance, and just as has always been publicly stated, the Polícia Judiciária never stopped paying close attention to any and all information that might possibly shed light on the whereabouts of the minor Madeleine McCann, the circumstances surrounding her disappearance and the identity of the perpetrator(s).

It was with this goal in mind that in March 2011 the National Director of the Polícia Judiciária entrusted a team of investigators from the North Directorate with the mission of reassessing, as a whole, the vast amount of information gathered during the inquiry, aimed at identifying data for which a more in-depth investigation might be useful and possible.

The reassessment which took place over the last two years and a half suggested new evidence to have surfaced, which, requiring the investigation to proceed, meets the requirements set out by section 279(1) of the Portuguese Code of Criminal Procedure for reopening of the inquiry.

Accordingly, a request for reopening was made to the Public Prosecutor for the jurisdiction of Portimao, and approval granted by the latter. "

The Anne Guedes Transcriptions

Permanent Suggested Reading

Quote

“It's easier to fool people than to convince them that they have been fooled.” Mark Twain

Revelations

"For the righteous, a revelation is a joyous event, the realization of a divine truth but for the wicked, revelations can be far more terrifying, when dark secrets are exposed and sinners are punished for their trespasses." Quote from the TV Series "Revenge" (T2 - Ep9)

Truth

All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.Arthur Schopenhauer

The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is.Winston Churchill

The Revolution

During times of universal deceit, telling the truth becomes a revolutionary act.George Orwell

The Revolution Goes Viral

"Once information networks become social, the implications are massive: truth can now travel faster than lies, and all propaganda becomes instantly flammable. Sure, you can try to insert spin, but the instantly networked consciousness of millions of people will set it right: they act like white blood cells against infection so that ultimately the truth, or something close to it, persists much longer than disinformation"The Guardian (04Jan12)

We must build dikes of courage to hold back the flood of fear. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts Winston Churchill

PRECIOUS, SO TRUE, WORDS

“One coincidence, two coincidences – maybe they’re still coincidences. Any more than that and it stops being coincidence.”

Kate McCann

(in MADELEINE, by Kate McCann, published in 2011 by Bantam Press, pg. 328)

Imagine...

"This says it all, Ms Loach hit the nail on the head!

"Ms Loach replied: “Imagine the public believing that you covered up your child’s death and then sought to make money out of it. They feel shame, humiliation and anguish."

Yes, that's exactly what we, the public, believe, because that's exactly what they did! And, their "shame, humiliation and anguish" are because they know we know!"

Comment posted by Anonymous to Textusa at Sep 16, 2013, 8:36:00 AM on "McCann vs Amaral Libel Trial" post referring to Mockumentary maker Emma Loach's testimony on the 1st day of said trial as one of McCann's defense witness.

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Sound Explanation for Viciousness

Compliments from the Maggots' Lair:

- “…all the others pale into insignificance when compared to textusa.”

- “I think she should be on the streets and off the internet"

Chinagirl):

- “Disgusting piece of slime.”

(Raptor):

- “Yikes ! That's disgusting.”

(preciousramotswe):

- “You are right. It's a shambolic mess of vitriol and obtuseness. But then they always are. The one that some claimed finally 'proved' who was carrying who during the Smith sighting is a masterpiece of deliberately confused arguments in which labrynthine plots are used to cover how empty the central thesis is”

Out of the Blue (or... Black?)

Hey textusa How are you? well I hope,just thought I would tell you that there are videos about you on youtube, claiming you are an internet predator who stole her daughters identity and prowls the forums for young boys, they say you are welsh!! I think its a case of mistaken identity because are you not portuguese and male? Anyway great blog. keep it up.(Anon., Nov 13th, 05:43)

Conversation from the "Lightless Zone"

sabot:

“Wot Round Table?”

bonnybraes1:

“He/she/it invented a barking mad 'theory' about no-one actually having eaten in the Tapas, because he/she/it couldn't grasp the table arrangements.”

So, because textusa doesn't understand stuff like that, all the Tapas group, the staff, everyone, were lying.

OMG - you don't suppose textusa is actually Gonc, do you?”

sansouci:“Could be Bonny.

The 'theories' about the table and the watersports are really so far beyond bizarre, that I get the feeling that 'textusa' could actually be 'pisstaka'.”

BLACK BUT TRUE WORDS

“Because no-one is more vicious in their search for payback that those who realise they have allowed themselves to be taken for a fool” (A "boomerang" comment left by an Anonymous (Insane?) at Sep 22, 2012 2:06:00 PM)

Insane's IMPORTANT Comments

“…How would any of you idiots like it if your name came into the public domain because you were witness to a crime, and some mad bitch set up a site in which she called you a liar, and claimed you were actually involved in the crime you witnessed? Just ponder on that for a moment”

Aug 28, 2011 9:27:00 AM

“…Where is your sense of shame or decency in accusing innocent witnesses of being involved in covering up the death of a child?

I see no shame or decency on here - just an utter indifference to the rights or feelings of others.

I notice no-one had the balls to answer my question about how you would feel if this was done to you - if you were a witness to a crime and some deranged cow on the internet accused you of being involved. You are all a complete disgrace.”

Aug 28, 2011 1:09:00 PM

FOOT IN THE MOUTH DISEASE

Insane (Nov 14, 2012 11:37:00 PM):

Oh look here - amazing what one can find out by means of a couple of emails to Mark Warner.

You are toast, lady. Finished.

I am going to enjoy this more than is actually decent.

Textusa (Nov 15, 2012 8:50:00 AM):

Well it seems that you're quite privy with the Ocean Club aren't you?

Them giving YOU the information about their own mails?

And you threatening us based on information that YOU apparently got from the Ocean Club.

That's really interesting, isn't it?

Insane (Nov 15, 2012 10:47:00 PM):

One thing I really like about Mark Warner is how helpful their staff are. Really go the extra mile for someone needing information. IYKWIM

:)

Textusa (Nov 16, 2012 11:17:00 AM):

Thank you for confirming that Mark Warner Staff are supplying YOU with information pertaining the Maddie Affair.

Insane's Moment of Rare Beauty

“It would be more suspicious if every account tallied. Police expect to find contradictions, don't tell me you did not know this?” (Nov 22, 2012 3:38:00 PM), when providing an opinion on contradictions from various statements in the PJ Files.

“I don't give a rat's arse about the statements which tally too closely - of course some of them tally too closely, there is an in depth analysis of them on my blog, the one you are not invited to.” (Nov 22, 2012 4:08:00 PM), when, exactly 30 minutes later, provides an opposite opinion, in this case about the fact that some of Tapas' Staff's statements tally too closely.

Insane the Entrepeneur?

"I'd love to stay, but I have a report to write, and it won't do itself, will it?" (Nov 29, 2012 8:14:00 PM)Insane the Disruptor, a new profession shown inNew Career Opportunities

Insane's Proposal for a New Legal Disclaimer

Textusa's new disclaimer. Please ignore all previous versions

''This blog expresses exclusively the exchange of ideas and opinions between people who have sniffed WAY too many solvents, and the imaginary people who live at the bottom of their garden, and so is not responsible for the enormous fines, possible imprisonment, or lifelong incarceration in a mental hospital which may result from it's content, as although it is on the interclickyweb, it is of a private nature, accompanied only by the voices in their heads, very much like any other conversation which takes place in a psychiatric ward between people rocking backwards and forwards in their seat and eating the wallcoverings, where FREEDOM OF SPEECH is exercised in the half hour per day of free association which the inmates are allowed.''Comment NOT published but submitted on Aug 22, 2011 10:17:00 PM

Kate's Round Table

INSANE'S BLOG

We waited so long for the link...

A possible explanation for the wait: "As I have made perfectly clear, you and your sort will never have access to my blog. We are particular about who we invite, and would not include screaming harpies and riff-faff like yourself."unpublished comment from Insane at Nov 23, 2012 10:55:00 AM

Then, a glimmer of hope?“Publishing elsewhere the posts Textusa refuses to publish is also appropriate - and also gives you fools a chance to read what she withholds from you, knowing that you would desert her if you were aware of how much trouble she leads you into.” (Nov 29, 2012 12:40:00 PM)

No, it wasn’t to be so… :“For the last time, you will never be provided with a link for my blog - you are not welcome there and will never be given access”(Nov 29, 2012 1:38:00 PM)